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< Back Government policy to blame for landlords turning to asylum seeker accommodation ELA Office Team 4 Jul 2025 ELA warns selective licensing will push landlords to asylum seeker accommodation In an exclusive video interview with Property118.com , the chairman of the Eastern Landlords Association, Paul Cunningham, warns selective licensing schemes will lead landlords to rent their properties to companies like Serco for asylum seeker accommodation. Read the FULL INTERVIEW Previous Next

Latest News 4 Jul 2025 Government policy to blame for landlords turning to asylum seeker accommodation ELA warns selective licensing will push landlords to asylum seeker accommodation Read More 28 May 2025 Great Yarmouth Selective Licensing - BBC News ELA Responds to Council Plans for Selective Licensing Read More 27 May 2025 Response to Acorn - Norwich Protest ELA Responds to Targeted Acorn Protest Read More

< Back Great Yarmouth Selective Licensing - BBC News ELA Office Team 28 May 2025 ELA Responds to Council Plans for Selective Licensing Council plans new licensing scheme for rented homes A new licensing scheme covering 5,000 rented properties will improve housing conditions, councillors in a Norfolk town are being advised. Great Yarmouth Borough Council said a selective licensing scheme, if agreed at a meeting on 3 June, would cover the Nelson, Cobholm and Southtown, and Central and Northgate wards. Click here to see the full BBC Article & our Chairman's input Full BBC News Article Previous Next

Eastern Landlords Association - The place for Landlords help and advice What Our Members Get... FREE Landlord Helpline FREE Tenancy Templates including AST's FREE Tax & Legal Investigation Cover (T&C's apply) FREE Advertising of Rentals on Zoopla FREE Solicitor Led Legal Surgeries Click here to join All this and more for £70 per year membership How can we help? Free help & advice line direct with our experienced Norwich based team Full access to all areas of our website Free template documents and helpful online guides Regular email updates and weekly Blogs relating to industry news, landlords events, courses & meetings Free Zoopla adverts for your properties Access to free 15 minute legal surgeries by real solicitors Access to tenant credit checks & references *(fees apply) Free Tax & Legal investigation insurance (T&Cs apply) Landlord insurances & discounts from our partners 10% Off with B&Q Trade Card (T&Cs apply) Learn More Templates & Documents Access to our comprehensive suite of templates & documents to help you manage your properties Landlords Tool Kit Access to our comprehensive tool kit which includes Tax investigation cover and other useful benefits Speak To Our Friendly Team Our Team are based in Norwich to help and support you Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm “ELA has helped me so many times over the years, I cannot recommend them highly enough." - Chris About Us Expert, friendly and efficient landlord advice to support you manage your rental properties. In 1989 a small number of Norwich landlords formed a group which has since grown into the Eastern Landlords Association. The Association aims to support landlords across the country in compliant and efficient management of their investment properties. Learn More

< Back AGM Minutes 2020 ELA Office Team 23 Sept 2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 23 SEPTEMBER 2020 at Attendance : 47 participants, including all the Directors and 1 member of staff. (Another member of staff attended but not counted in the numbers as they are not a member of the ELA.) Directors at the AGM ; Charles Clarke (Chair), John Pitts (Vice Chair), Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Chris Kew (Treasurer), John Bannister, Peter Bussey, Peter Mitchell, Paul Newson, Jake Parker, Phil Walters Apologies for absence ; 5 members sent their apologies. CC thanked them for doing so. Acceptance of minutes of AGM held on 3rd May 2019 ; TS proposed, JP seconded, accepted. Chairman’s Report : CC welcomed everyone to the ELA’s first virtual AGM via Zoom. The Chairman’s report and all other papers had been circulated to all ELA members three times on the four weeks leading up to the meeting and therefore it was expected that everyone had read them. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2019: CC said that a question had been sent to the office and asked AG to read it out, “I note the Association is very profitable. What happens to that profit?”CC responded that the surplus of the profit and loss account has been used to improve the working environment of the ELA Office for both staff and members who visit by installing air-conditioning, (which also heats the Office in winter). It is also used to improve benefits for members, e.g. all adverts on Zoopla are now free for members. The Board want to add to these benefits once Covid restrictions ease. Another member had queried the drop in surplus from 2018 to 2019. As CK was not available to respond CC responded that this was because the mortgage on the Office building, (which includes two flats above), was paid off and the air-conditioning was installed. CC asked for someone to propose accepting the accounts. TS proposed, JP seconded. 40 voted in favour. Agreed . Appointment of accountants for the year ending 31st December 2020 : Lovewell Blake have been used for several years and the ELA has a good working relationship with them, particularly Colin Fish. CC asked for someone to propose reappointing Lovewell Blake. TS proposed, PB seconded. 40 voted in favour. Agreed. Appointment of Directors : There were three Directors whose term was coming to an end in May 2020. In January, all members were contacted and invited to stand for election as a Director. No nominations were forthcoming. Therefore, as the three Directors whose term was coming to an end were happy to stand again an election was not required and the Board remains the same. CC read out the names of the Board of Directors. Any other business : CC requested that any questions were sent to him or via the ELA Office and that they would be discussed at the Board meeting on the 28th September and then responded to. Close of AGM : CC closed the AGM at 1911hr Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2019 ELA Office Team 3 May 2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 3 MAY 2019 10.15 Attendance : taken from the Registration Sheets was 166, in addition there were 4 staff and 35 stands. Directors at the AGM ; Charles Clarke (Chair), Peter Mitchell (Vice Chair), Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Chris Kew (Treasurer), Paul Newson, John Pitts, Phil Walters, John Bannister Apologies for absence ; Nil Acceptance of minutes of AGM held on 11th May 2018 ; PN proposed, TS seconded, all accepted. Chairman’s Report ; CC welcomed everyone. The ELA is here to help in any way we can, despite all the anti-landlord legislation. CC thanked the Sponsors – Aran Services, Envirovent, Foster’s Solicitors, Goals Based Financial Planning, Lovewell Blake LLP, Liberator Services, Vincent Burch Mortgage Services . CC encouraged everyone present to complete their feedback forms. CC thanked the office staff and explained that Carol would be retiring on 24th May after 15 years’ service. Carol was presented with flowers, cards and gifts and thanked everyone. CC welcomed the new member of office staff, Paul Scott. CC thanked all the ELA Directors, especially PM, TS and CK. CC thanked all the Branch Chairs, especially Tony Quin, Great Yarmouth Branch chair and Mandie Adams, Southend Branch Chair. CC reflected on the passing of Derek Leach last June. CC announced that the YCRLA members were now joining the ELA. Membership at 30th April = 1383 and 5 more have joined in the last couple of days. CC reminded everyone about the referral reward scheme with £25 M&S voucher to anyone who recommends someone who joins the ELA. CC thanked Brandon Taylor for attending the DWP meetings re UC in London as a representative of the ELA. It is hoped that the ELA can offer accreditation in the future and is working with GYBC to achieve this for the discounts available for SL to accredited landlords. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2018 ; CK explained the new accounting regulations. Profit £14300Corporation tax £521Outstanding mortgage approx. £16000Bank balance £100000The Board are considering gas central heating for the Office. TS proposed acceptance, seconded by PN and carried unanimously . Appointment of accountants ; Lovewell Blake has indicated a willingness to continue, proposed by TS, seconded by CC and carried unanimously . Appointment of Directors ; There were two vacancies on the ELA Board of Directors and two nominations – Peter Bussey and Jake Parker. Accepted unanimously . Any other business ; None. Close of AGM ; CC closed the AGM at 10.31 Previous Next

< Back Response to Acorn - Norwich Protest ELA Office Team 27 May 2025 ELA Responds to Targeted Acorn Protest On May 16th, the Eastern Landlords Association's conference in Norwich was subject to a protest by Acorn Norwich. Acorn claims their protest was 'returning the favour' after our members supposedly 'crashed' one of their meetings last year. This is a misrepresentation. In reality, a single ELA member attended one of their public meetings , openly identified himself as a landlord, and attempted to engage in a constructive dialogue about the private rented sector and the aims of both organisations. Instead of a two-way conversation, he was pressured to sign up for Acorn membership. Eastern Landlords Association is dedicated to supporting compliant, good, and safe landlords . We advocate for fair treatment of landlords by government and councils, recognising that this is crucial for landlords to continue providing essential housing and address the shortage caused by failures in government policy and underinvestment in social housing. The private rented sector is vital for meeting the growing demand for homes. Our members are landlords who prioritise their tenants' well-being and compliance. Those attending our conference were there to learn and improve, an effort that should be commended. Unfortunately, Acorn Norwich chose to demonise attendees and later, on social media, disseminate misinformation, including claims about members 'shaking with rage' or having 'clearly not met tenants.' When an ELA team member, who are themselves, a lifelong PRS tenant, attempted to engage with them constructively, they were met with indifference and a flat refusal to engage in dialogue. Acorn Norwich advocates for a city-wide landlord licensing policy, including a central register and fines for unfit properties. It's important to note that both of these objectives will be addressed by the incoming Renters' Rights Bill . Acorn's push for a separate, additional scheme is therefore redundant, could undermine the effectiveness of the national legislation, and would ultimately burden tenants with increased rents to fund its operation which will not help reduce or prevent poverty. While ELA fully supports the objective of poverty prevention and relief, as stated by Acorn's controlling organisation, we question how harassing and intimidating law-abiding landlords contributes to this goal. Acorn Norwich has a history of employing aggressive tactics, as evidenced by prior incidents Acorn group denies councillors intimidation claims The police were called to our conference and promptly dispersed the protestors. Eastern Landlords Association urges Acorn the Union to engage in a constructive and non-aggressive dialogue with us. We believe that by working together, we can improve the private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. We advocate for a fair and balanced system that protects tenants and ensures the sustainability of rental housing stock. However, we will not tolerate bullying, harassment, intimidation, or the spread of misinformation. Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2023 ELA Office Team 5 May 2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 5th MAY 2023 at 10.15am Attendance: 60 participants, including 6 Directors and 1 member of staff. Directors at the AGM; Charles Clarke (Vice-Chair), Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Chris Kew (Treasurer), Peter Bussey, Paul Newson, Brett Ashby Apologies for absence; John Pitts, Phil Walters Acceptance of minutes of AGM held on 6th May 2022: no objections. Trevor Southgate accepted, Charles Clarkes seconded. Chairman’s Report: Charles Clarke acting Chairman. He thanked sponsors, ELA staff and Directors for their work and time put in for the year. Charles outlined what the ELA does for members. Plugged the offer of a £25 M&S voucher for any member recommending a new member to join. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2022: Chris Kew (Treasurer): No queries raised on the accounts for 2022. Chris explained how the valuation was calculated on our building at 1 Sprowston Road. Based around market value for equivalent properties in the NR3 area. He also talked about the phone/tablet app in development and revamped website. There are plans to develop a one bed flat to the rear of our office. Accounts approved by Ian Stockham and seconded by James Southgate. Carried by those attending. Appointment of accountants for the year ending 31st December 2023: Lovewell Blake have been used for several years and the ELA has a good working relationship with them, particularly Colin Fish. Trevor Southgate proposed, Jill Stockham seconded. All agreed. Appointment of Directors : No new Directors. 10 Directors on the Board. Any other business: CMC (East Anglia) Ltd, one of the sponsors not able to attend the conference. Frances Swanston asked who would do the EPC talk instead regarding how to get a ‘C’ rating for your properties. – it would be a representative from Zephyr Mortgages who will be updating on that subject as part of their presentation. Close of AGM: Charles Clarke closed the AGM at 10.30am Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2025 (Pending Ratification) ELA Office Team 16 May 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 16th MAY 2025 at 10.05am Attendance : In excess of 100 participants, including 5 Directors and 4 members of staff. Directors at the AGM Paul Cunningham (Chair), Charlie Baker (Secretary), Peter Bussey (Treasurer), Phil Walters (Vice Chair), Trevor Southgate Apologies for absence None Acceptance of minutes of AGM held 2024 : Ralph Palmer asked if the issues with an ex-member of staff had been concluded. PC replied that there was no financial compensation paid and has been concluded. Chairman’s Report : Paul Cunningham opened the meeting in his capacity as Chairman. The staff and Directors were introduced. Mixed messages from Government – there is an impression that landlords are not supported as they should be but there has been a request for landlords to help house asylum seekers. Letting industry is busy with more tenants seeking accommodation and less properties in the PRS available. Not all doom and gloom and is still a good time to invest, good bargains to be had for buy-to-lets and no shortage of tenants. Good landlords should have nothing to fear from the Renters’ Rights Bill and what it means is that choosing the right tenant is paramount and will have an impact on those looking to rent. Rents are likely to increase due to a shortage of properties. Vital for landlords to be a member of an association, this association, ELA with someone to turn to when things go wrong. Cost of subscription to ELA hasn’t change in many years. ELA website has been worked on and will continue to improve. We are engaging with Local Authorities, have a B&Q trade account with discounts for members, creation of a WhatsApp group, weekly blog on our website. We have rebranded. We have increased the number of free legal surgeries with Fosters. Membership numbers are increasing and we have monthly Board meetings. Charles Clarke asked if workshops (legal and taxation) could be held for members as have been in the past. This can be organised. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2024: Peter Bussey (Treasurer) introduced himself to the meeting, advising that finances are moving in the right direction, a copy of the balance sheet being available to delegates. The income has reduced and membership income has reduced but the overall trend is improving. Expenses have slightly increased in line with previous years. Profit made of about £6,000 before tax. A question was asked about insurance commission and PB explained that the contract with Coversure is coming to an end and they have been taken over by Jensten, contract to be renewed with negotiations under way. The accounts were unanimously accepted. Appointment of accountants for the year ending 31st December 2025 : An item of the agenda related to accountants, Lovewell Blake have been involved in the 2024 accounts and are recommended to carry on with the 2025 accounts. All agreed. Appointment of Directors: Votes from members to accept nominations – members advised that these votes are to be conducted separately: New appointment – Director – James Crickmore – accepted unanimously Trevor Southgate & Charlie Baker were unanimously voted on to continue as Directors. Ratification of amended Articles of Association : Accepted unanimously, none against. Any other business relevant to AGM : None Close of AGM : Paul Cunningham closed the AGM at 10.25am Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2022 ELA Office Team 5 Jun 2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 6 MAY 2022 at 1015am Attendance: 60 participants, including 8 Directors and 1 member of staff. Directors at the AGM; John Pitts (Chair), Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Chris Kew (Treasurer), Peter Bussey, Peter Mitchell, Paul Newson, Brett Ashby, Charlie Baker Apologies for absence; Charles Clarke. Acceptance of minutes of AGM held on 7th May 2021: no objections. Chairman’s Report: JP welcomed everyone and mentioned each of the sponsors. JP asked all attendees to fill in and return the feedback form in the delegate pack. JP asked for a round of applause for the Officers and Office Staff. JP said that the ELA has weathered the pandemic well. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2021: CK: the accounts are in the delegate pack. The advance payment for the conference is for this year’s event. Corporation tax is £18000. A grant for the office heating system was received. JK asked if there were any government grants received in 2021. CK said no, £10000 was received in 2020. CK proposed accepting the accounts. TS seconded. All agreed. Appointment of accountants for the year ending 31st December 2022: Lovewell Blake have been used for several years and the ELA has a good working relationship with them, particularly Colin Fish. CK proposed, TS seconded. All agreed. Appointment of Directors: There are four Directors, (CK, TS, PB & PM), whose term is ending in May 2022. There were also two vacancies. In January, all members were contacted and invited to stand for election as a Director. Two nominations were forthcoming. Therefore, as the Directors whose term is ending are happy to stand again and there are two vacancies, an election was not required. The two nominations were from Brett Ashby and Charlie Baker. JP introduced them to those present. Any other business: None. Close of AGM: JP closed the AGM at 1027hr Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2018 ELA Office Team 11 May 2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 11 MAY 2018 10.30 Attendance : taken from the Registration Sheets was 144, in addition there were 4 staff and 31 stands. Directors at the AGM ; Paul Cunningham (Chair), Charles Clarke (Vice Chair), Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Paul Newson, Peter Mitchell, John Pitts, Phil Walters, John Bannister Apologies for absence ; Chris Kew, Becky Clement Chairman’s Report ; PC introduced himself and thanked the Sponsors – Foster’s Solicitors, Lovewell Blake, Vincent Burch Mortgage Services, Blue Sky Lettings, Almary Green and Shergroup. The ELA has undergone many changes over the past year. Peter Davis, who was present at the AGM, has resigned as CEO and PC thanked him and wished him well for the future. John Hindle, a long-standing ELA member and Director had sadly died late in 2017 and he will be greatly missed. Simone Nicholson, Marketing & Business Development Manager joined the ELA in January 2018 and brings with her a wealth of experience. The aim of her appointment is to increase and retain membership. The new ELA website is being launched today. Howard Gill has stood down as a Director and Becky Clement will replace him at the next Board meeting in June. Despite the housing shortage new legislation continues to punish landlords, for example Section 24 (taxation), 3% extra stamp duty. However, a recent survey of the East of England illustrated that there is a strong demand for rental property with 81% of landlords stating there was an increasing or stable demand. This demand means that BTL is still a good investment. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2017 ; CC proposed acceptance, seconded by JP and carried unanimously. Appointment of accountants ; Lovewell Blake has indicated a willingness to continue, proposed by TS, seconded by CC and carried unanimously. Appointment of Directors ; Howard Gill has stood down. The only candidate was Becky Clement who has been elected unopposed. Special Resolution re Alteration to the Articles of Association ; PC asked if there were any questions or objections to the changes. There were none and therefore this was carried unanimously. Any other business ; On behalf of a member, (J Soanes), JP said that this member opposed the move to an electronic version of the quarterly ELA Magazine and proposed that members who would like a hard copy posted to them should pay an extra £5 per year to cover this. PC said the Board are elected by the members to make decisions on their behalf and it has been decided that the magazine will be electronic from now on. If a member wants a hard copy they can of course print it off themselves. There is a possibility that the ELA will produce an annual A4 hard copy magazine. This mirrors the practices of both the RLA and NLA. CC said the office are always pleased to receive articles for the magazine from members about their personal experiences. PC said the focus of 2018 is to increase membership and the big selling points of the ELA are the advice given by the Office Staff and the Tax investigation cover insurance. PN said he wanted the hard work of PC, CK, TS and the Office Staff recorded and thanked them all for all their hard work. All agreed. Close of AGM ; PC closed the AGM at 10.55 Previous Next

< Back AGM Minutes 2024 ELA Office Team 10 May 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 10ᵗʰ MAY 2024 at 10.15am Attendance: 66 participants, including 7 Directors and 4 members of staff. Directors at the AGM Paul Cunningham (Chair), Charles Clarke, Trevor Southgate (Secretary), Charlie Baker, Peter Bussey (Treasurer), Paul Newson, Phil Walters Apologies for absence Brett Ashby Acceptance of minutes of AGM held on 5th May 2023: Minutes from 2023 included in AGM pack, no objections received. Trevor Southgate accepted, Charles Clarkes seconded. Chairman’s Report: Paul Cunningham opened the meeting in his capacity as Chairman. He thanked sponsors, ELA staff and Directors for their work and time put in for the year, in particular Charlie Baker for her work on the new website which is due to be launched. In addition, mention to the Directors as follows: Phil Walters who has assisted with office management and related issues. Peter Bussey (Treasurer) who has assisted with the financial side of the Association, and Trevor Southgate who has assisted with the organising of the event. The Directors carry out these tasks in a voluntary capacity alongside the running of their own respective businesses. Heather MacKenzie who has joined as Office Manager and the office team, Andy Fretwell, Steve Haher and Carol Craven who keep the member side going. Paul Cunningham reminded members of the difficulties of being a landlord, with an unprecedented number of landlords who are leaving the industry, interference by local authorities, selective licencing, increased homelessness all making demands on the private sector rentals and a shortage of rental properties. As Chair of ELA, Paul advised that he has attended meetings with Councils to reiterate that private sector landlords maybe part of the solution to meet the housing crisis, and a general election scheduled for some time this year. On a positive note, rental demands are high, and rental-income is buoyant with tenants looking to rent for life. Paul Cunningham addressed the room with ‘Why join the ELA’? What can you buy for £70, the membership is good value for money, tax deductible and the office staff have helped save landlords money, with around 177 pieces of legislation around property. The ELA are here to make life easier to landlord members. Financial Statements year end 31 December 2023: Peter Bussey (Treasurer) introduced himself to room, advising that finances are moving in the right directions, a copy of the balance sheet being included in the members AGM pack. Interest rates increased, with £3000 being received, a major increase form the £120 interest received in the previous year. Most figures remains similar to [previous year with exception to membership numbers which have dropped down slightly. Peter asked the room if there were any questions on the accounts and would be happy to address further questions after the meeting. Question raised on the large increase in the legal expenses – Fosters Solicitors have been engaged to handle the Associations GDPR needs, this will be brought back in house in the near future. There is also an ongoing claim by a previous member of staff which resulted in a £5,000 insurance excess. The Directors are hoping that this will be resolved in the near future. Accounts approved by Trevor Southgate. Carried by those attending. Appointment of accountants for the year ending 31ˢᵗ December 2023: An item of the agenda related to accountants, Lovewell Blake have been involved in the 2023 accounts and are recommended to carry on with the 2024 accounts. All agreed. Appointment of Directors: Votes from members to accept nominations – member advised that these votes are to be conducted separately: One new appointment – Caroline Thompson Director Charles Clarke has reapplied Director – Paul Cunningham to be voted as Director (post as Chair will be voted at forthcoming Board meeting) 9 Directors on the Board in total. Any other business relevant to AGM: New Website: Charlie Baker has been working on the new website, and a summary of slides have been included in the AGM pack. A brief demonstration followed, and the office staff are available to assist with queries when launch goes live. The in website will be updated with information, easier to navigate and should be more accessible to members. Any new legislation will be added to the Blog section and an email notification will be automated thereafter to keep members updated. Membership can also be paid online on the new website. Member log in and password resets will be rolled out over the next few weeks. Charles Clarke asked about website stats to see how many numbers of visits we have, enquiries, etc. Charlie confirmed that the new website will be able to provide stats. Member raised a query about addressing the media perception of being a landlord and breaking away from ‘tenant always being right mentality’. Paul Cunningham confirmed that this needs to be addressed with government and council assistance, as local authorities recognise that landlords are part of the solution to the housing crisis. The elections may impact on this, but as a regional landlord association the ELA are contacting councils and local authorities to raise the profile of landlords through the ELA, as the ELA checks landlords and this is part of the benefit of being a member, having reputable accreditation to reassure tenants. Member asked if members are vetted prior to being accepted, Paul Cunningham confirmed that the Board of Directors do reasonable checks within the bounds of accessing public information. Member asked if the website states why it is good to be a landlord? The industry nationwide has members leaving due to selling, or lifestyle changes, younger landlords are not coming forward, but landlords need support to keep up to date with legislation and industry changes. Tenants are aware of their rights and have support groups to fight on their behalf. Charlie Baker advised that the website can include testimonials from landlords and tenants to raise landlord profile. Mandy from Southend mentioned that she hosts workshops and meetings via Zoom, these are almost every month to support landlords. Member raised a query relating to NRLA compared to ELA – Paul Cunningham advised that the industry is very difficult at the moment, the NRLA does not offer a not-for-profit personal service that the ELA provide. Paul Newson asked if the Chair would confirm reasons for leaving the NRLA? Paul Cunningham advised that members do not know the background between himself and NRLA. As time had overrun for the AGM and guest speakers were waiting to present, Paul Cunningham advised that he would be happy to discuss this further individually after the meeting. Close of AGM: Paul Cunningham closed the AGM at 10.50am Previous Next